Phys.org July 18, 2022
In a crystal, all atoms are connected to each other and have a fixed spatial relationship to each other—so you can minimize the influence of external disturbances on the neutron wave. But this monolithic design limits the possibilities. Alignment of two crystals to create a neutron interferometer did not reach the required accuracy. Scanning X-ray interferometers also consist of separate silicon crystals and are similarly sensitive. An international team of researchers (Austria, France, Italy) used the technology developed for the X-ray interferometer. The team succeeded in detecting neutron interference in a system of two separate crystals. According to the researchers this opens the door to a new generation of neutron interferometers and exciting applications…read more. Open Access TECHNICAL ARTICLEÂ
(a) Symmetric and (b) skew-symmetric crystal interferometers. Credit: JOURNAL OF APPLIED CRYSTALLOGRAPHY, Volume 55| Part 4| August 2022|Â